Which species is included in the Molossidae family?
The Molossidae, or free-tailed bats, are a family of bats within the order Chiroptera. The Molossidae is the fourth-largest family of bats, containing about 110 species as of 2012.
How many free-tailed bats are there?
There are between 120 and 150 million Mexican free-tailed bats in existence. They are especially plentiful in Texas. In San Antonio, Texas there’s a place called Bracken Cave. Colonies of 20,000,000 bats live in these caves.
Why is it called a free-tailed bat?
With their long, narrow wings, Mexican free-tailed bats are speedsters in the bat world, designed for fast, long-distance flight. They get their name from their tail, which extends freely beyond their tail membrane.
Is the Mexican free-tailed bat the fastest mammal?
Mention the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) at your next cocktail party and you will have no shortage of fun tidbits to share. These bats, no larger than your two thumbs together, are the fastest mammals on earthclocking in at 99 mph (160 kph) in level flight.
What is the size of a free tailed bat?
These bats may have a life span of up to 18 years. Their weight is between 0.4-0.5 oz (11- 14 g) and their wingspan is between 12-14 in (30-35 cm).
What is included in the diet of the eastern red bat?
moths
Red bats eat mostly moths and beetles, but also dine on planthoppers, leafhoppers, and spittlebugs. When possible, they actively select larger prey. On especially warm winter evenings, males emerge from hibernation in order to feed, sometimes even in mid-afternoon, though females apparently do not.
What is the size of a free-tailed bat?
Why do free-tailed bats migrate?
Female Mexican free-tailed bats migrate from central Mexico to Texas and adjacent states each spring, returning south in the fall. Mating probably occurs in transient roosts during the spring flight. The migration is believed to remove pregnant and lactating females to a region of high food…
Do Mexican free-tailed bats pollinate?
Mexican free-tailed bats eat a lot of corn ear worm and cotton bollworm moths, which are agricultural pest species that cause millions of dollars in damage to crops each year. In some areas this is actually their primary food. They pollinate many of our most iconic plants in the southwest.
Is a Springbok faster than a cheetah?
True, the cheetah has been clocked at 75 miles per hour, and can reach speeds of 60 mph in just three seconds. The springbok, an antelope species of southern Africa, can run up to 55 mph.
What is the 2nd fastest animal in the world?
pronghorn
A pronghorn can run up to 60 miles per hour, which makes them the second-fastest land animal in the world (cheetah – 61 mph). Although second to the cheetah, the pronghorn can sustain its speed for much longer.
Are red bats endangered?
Least Concern (Population stable)Eastern red bat / Conservation status